House Passes Legislation to Allow Americans to Keep Their Current Health Care Plans

Washington,
Nov 15, 2013 -
Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation supported by Congressman Bill Posey (R-Rockledge) permitting Americans to keep their current health care plans by allowing health insurance companies to continue to offer those plans regardless of whether they meet costly mandates of the Administration’s health care law. The vote was 261-157 with 39 Democrats voting in support of the bill.

“As a direct result of the health care law, 10 million Americans risk having their health insurance plans cancelled. Tens of millions more are seeing their costs go up and coverage changed, and they are losing access to their doctors and health care networks,” said Congressman Posey.

“I get messages daily from my constituents who have had their policies cancelled, seen 200% – 400% increases in their health insurance premiums, or who have been cut to part-time work because of the new law. They are finding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to be unaffordable for their families.

“Today the House passed bipartisan legislation that will help reverse these effects of this law for many Americans, providing relief to some of those who have been harmed.

“The sad reality is that the ACA is inherently flawed and unworkable, and this reality is starting to catch-up with Americans across this nation. The broken website is just the tip of the disastrous iceberg as the law has fundamental and costly flaws.

“The fact that the Administration has now decided to waive ACA mandates is testimony to the fact that the health care law is directly responsible for millions of Americans losing their coverage, huge increases in health care premiums, along with the loss of access to doctors and hospital networks. There would be no need for the Administration to waive the health care law if the law was not the problem.

“Unfortunately, the Administration’s proposal falls short by only providing a short-term waiver of the mandates. If it's so bad, then we really should be addressing the fundamental flaws, not simply trying to get beyond the next election. The only way to fix this situation, which will get worse, is for Washington to scrap this law and start over in a transparent process with bipartisan reforms that respect individual freedom and fairness.”